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Zangief
The Practice (Unwillingly) |Other Allies (Link Each Name) = Little Mac |Past Allies (Link Each Name) = Ganondorf |Biggest Enemy = Ganondorf |Other Enemies (Link Each Name) = |Past Enemies (Link Each Name) = Little Mac, Baz McMahon, Raphael, THQuality |VGCW Champ Dates = |Casual Champ Dates = |Royal Rumble Win Dates = |King of the Ring Win Dates = |Mr. Money in the Bank? (Yes, Was, or Blank) = Was |Ms. Money in the Bank? (Yes, Was, or Blank) = |Gurl Gamer Champ Dates = |Co-op Team Champ Dates = 2013-02-18 - 2013-06-02}} "You sit there and you thump your bibles, and say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your psalms, talk about Bazza 3:16...Gief 3:16 says I just protected the Russian Skies!" Zangief is a playable character in the Street Fighter series and a wrestler in VGCW. He was the inaugural Money in the Bank winner, a match he won in a matter of seconds before being stripped of the briefcase and having the match restarted. He made history while feuding with Little Mac, who won the restarted match, in what was VGCW's first real storyline throughout Season 1. Zangief was a part of the tag team Gerudo Skies along with his partner, Ganondorf, and the two were former Co-Op Champions, until their breakup and subsequent feud. He and Ganondorf's Co-Op reign lasted 104 days, making them the second longest reigning Co-Op Champions in VGCW history. In Season 8, he was turned into Mecha-Zangief by The Practice, likely under his will. In the Street Fighter ''franchise Zangief is a Russian wrestler. He travels the world wrestling bears, suplexing fools, and protecting the skies of his beloved homeland. He is also known to have had a stint as a professional wrestler, during which time he teamed up and shared moves with Mike Haggar. In VGCW Zangief's career was originally an unremarkable one, the only noteworthy happening being a small feud with Nappa. All this would change when Zangief served as the catalyst and protagonist of Season 1, fighting against the villainous Baz Mcmahon and his Corporate Champion Little Mac. Season 1: The Soviet Screwjob and Gief 3:16 ''"I didn't screw Gief, Gief screwed Gief!" -'' Baz McMahon On November 27th, a Money in the Bank match sparked an incident that would become known as "Gief Screwed Gief," which formed one of the cornerstones of the larger Little McMahon Saga storyline. Zangief faced off against JonTron, Wesker, Captain Falcon, Nappa and, most importantly, Little Mac. As the other competitors began to fight, Zangief instead opted to ''immediately go for the briefcase itself - a very rare tactic. The other wrestlers were so absorbed in their squabbles that they didn't even notice until it was too late that Zangief had successfully snatched the money in under 15 seconds. While the crowd applauded the spectacle, Mr. McMahon had other plans. Claiming that the match's quick conclusion was unsatisfactory and unfair, Baz announced (to much protest from the audience) a rematch to be held later that night. The rematch ended in a Little Mac victory. Fans claimed that Zangief had been "screwed" (lost due to corporate interference). Baz responded to such claims that Zangief's own tactics had forced the rematch - that "Gief screwed Gief". Refusing to take McMahon's screwjob sitting down, Zangief was later seen in Bazza's office, but was promptly thrown out. Still furious over be screwed out of his chance to win the VGCW Championship, the feud between Zangief and Little Mac had only just begun. Little Mac, drunk off of his ill-gotten victory, taunted and attacked Zangief backstage on the November 28th, 2012 show. This assault led to Zangief wanting an official match between the two, which was booked the following week. What would follow would solidify Little Mac's status as Baz Mcmahons lapdog, as The Boss took it upon himself to insert a special guest referee for the match: Himself. Baz would go on to further raise the stakes of the match, as The Money in The Bank Briefcase would be awarded to the winner of the bout. To the surprise of few, Bazza went on screw Zangief out of The Money again by performing a fast count, making it clear that it really was Bazza who screwed Gief. After yet another screwjob, Gief would begin to go on the offensive. The Protector of The Russian skies ambushed Little Mac when he attempted to cash in the briefcase on a wounded Adam Jensen, who had just fought tooth and nail to win the prestigious title from Bowser. Little Mac would again attempt to blindside Zangief, but was foiled by Simon Belmont, which began to show signs of unity amongst the Locker room, who were all obviously tired of Mr. Mcmahons evil deeds. Zangief would go on to save Ganondorf from Little Mac, who was in the process of being attacked after being beaten by The Corporate Fraud in a match. With the Dark Lord now also being involved in the feud, Zangief and Ganondorf teamed up to face their common enemies. The formiddable duo would meet Little Mac and the Bazza himself in a tag team match, and easily destroyed The Boss and his lapdog. After a dominant win, Zangief and Ganondorf, now dubbed Gerudo skies, would get some much needed payback, attacking Mac and McMahon. Zangief would have to be physically restrained by Ganondorf during the beatdown to keep the Red Cyclone from seriously injuring Mac. During this chaotic feud, many viewers would cheer Gief 3:16, as Zangiefs fight against the authority had many similarities to another famous wrestler (link needs replacing). Gerudo Skies would team up again on the next stream, defeating Wario Ware Inc. and showing that they were now a force to be reckoned with in The Co-Op devision. Little Mac would also famously lose to Proto Man following two Glitch Bombs, robbing their feud of another factor in the VGCW Championship. Despite this, Zangief was still happy that Corporate Mac was dethroned, and he celebrated with Proto Man and Ganondorf after the match in a feel good moment for all. The legendary feud would finally reach its boiling point on December 19th, 2012 as Baz McMahon arranged one last match to finally settle the score once and for all. The battle would be contested in a 30-minute Iron Man match, and the ring would be surrounded by flames, ensuring that neither competitor would had anywhere to run. Gief and Mac would throw everything they had at each other, but Lil Mac's endurance prevented Zangief from managing to score many pins, so he instead opted to do as much damage as possible, hitting Mac with several Final Atomic Busters. In the end, Gief lost, as Mac had the edge in pins at 8-4. Following Little Mac's celebration, Baz McMahon would come to the ring and hand Mac a chair to finish off Zangief for good. Instead of ending Zangief's career, however, Little Mac threw the chair back at McMahon, showing that he was tired of being his corporate lapdog. Zangief then got up, and Mac offered a handshake, which Zangief accepted, finally ending the feud filled with grudge matches, bloody chair shots, rematches and screwjobs that defined VGCW's early months. Even though the two made amends, Little Mac would later get hit by an unknown assailant driving a limo on his way out of the arena. Season 2: Zangief vs THQuality The period following Zangief arguably losing his feud against Little Mac was most definitely not kind to the Red Cyclone. While he remained teamed up with Ganondorf, offering his partner encouragement and advice, he didn't compete in tag team matches, prefering to go his own way, and his fray in singles competition saw him lose continuously. Many of the matches he competed in resulted in bizarre scenes of THQuality, the same thing that resulted in the infamous Soviet Screwjob. Zangief would also see some BazzaQuality, as he would beat up newcomer and pre-VGCW tag team partner Mike Haggar in a dream that was somehow streamed, although he would later lose the actual match. Zangief would also go on to recieve a first round KOTR loss to the hated JonTron which involved him getting his back broken. One of his better moments was becoming one of the few who have escaped Gabe Newell's Wallet Squeeze submission, a feat he accomplished during an Elimination match that he still went on to lose. Gief would once again find himself wrapped up in the antics of Baz Mcmahon, this time when he attempted to stop the rampaging Mr. L. After the mysterious masked man attacked both Giefs tag team partner Ganondorf, and his opponent, The New Corporate Champion Raphael, Zangief would be seen backstage talking to Ghost Trick. After deciding to take care of things the old fashioned way, he would help Ganondorf up and stormed down to the ring, where the duo met Bazza's Elite 4. After a brief face off, everyone in the ring decided that they had a common enemy, and promptly beat down Mr. L. Knowing better, Zangief quickly distanced himself from the rest of ongoing story of Mr. L and tried to make another go at singles competition in a tables match on the Season 2 finale. This infamous match proved to be Zangiefs defining moment of THQuality, even more so than his original Money in The Bank victory. Following more than a month and a half of fairly steading competing without a victory, Zangief forgot how to clinch victory at all, and while he dominated Donkey Kong during the match, his amazingly bad AI would result in countless pathing errors and mishaps. The most memorable moment came when Gief would attempt to dive off the top rope onto DK who was laid out on a table. Although this would have normally resulted in a win, THQuality struck again and he instead just leapt onto the floor. Since neither performer could put the other through a table, the match was eventually called a draw after more than 20 minutes of Zangief botching aerial attacks and moonwalking. Season 3: Protecting the Gerudo Skies Possibly feeling like he needed a change of scenery, Zangief decided to officially return to tag team competition while the rest of the league was busy with the Great Tournament. This decision was a fruitful one, as their participation in the tag team tournament held on February 10th, 2013 saw them triumph over Raw Power, The Saiyans and, finally, GameCenter FU, clinching Gerudo Skies' second Co-Op title shot. Then, on February 18, 2013, Gerudo Skies defeated The Returners to officially capture their first Co-Op Championship. They looked to be well on their way to defending their titles against The Elite Two on their first title defense, held on February 28, 2013 until THQuality reared its ugly head into Gief's business yet again and prevented Zangief from exiting the ring as Ganon was about to secure the win for his team. Whether this was Gief screwing Gief once more or a prime example of the shady officiating that was the hallmark of Thomas McRef's tenure, Gerudo Skies nevertheless retained their belts. Zangief would then take an almost two-month long break from ring competition, as after the Mario Bros earned their title shot during Season 3, Ganondorf being busy with the general manager tournament, the VGCW title and other matters left both the tag team championships and Gief in waiting. Finally, during the first episode of Season 4, Zangief would make his long awaited return to the ring, much to the pleasure of the crowd. In a manner befitting his long-awaited return following his protracted absence, Gief would perform splendidly in the match, ending the match by slamming Mario down and then tagging in Ganondorf who quickly used a Gerudo Kick to knock out the plumber just as he was getting up. Gief would then spear Luigi, and the team secured the win and their titles helping to cement their position as the most dominant tag team in VGCW. Season 4: The Skies and the Limits After three months without a singles match, Zangief participated in Extreme Rules match against Wario on April 23rd. Both spent most of the match living up to the Extreme part, as they beat each other senseless with anything they could find: chairs, steel steps, title belts, even stealing drinks from fans. Zangief did all he could, but he was beaten senseless with a championship belt from Wario. In the end, the greedy gangster then hit his second Money Shot on Zangief, putting him down for the 3 count. The result of this outing surprised fans, who figured Zangief was the favorite to win and was in a higher class than his opponent. However, his performance in tag team matches belied something people had either not realized or forgotten: other than the wins he's secured as part of Gerudo Skies, Zangief had not clinched a victory or a pin, in either singles or multi-man matches, since November 22nd, 2012. Furthermore, he hadn't scored any of the winning pins for his team ever since the tag team tournament. Many attributed Zangief's poor moveset to the list of reasons, or his seemingly constant attraction to THQuality, which he rarely benefitted from unlike Proto Man. Despite the stinging reminder of his lack of success in Singles competition, Zangief remained a tag team powerhouse and champion, and he would taste victory once more on May 15th when Gerudo Skies fought GameCenter FU for the Co-Op Championship. Zangief managed to dominate the contest, with his and Ganon's amazing teamwork and tactics allowing an easy win, and although it was Ganon who ended up getting the pin, Zangief managed to do more than his fair share of work, hitting AVGN with a Final Atomic Buster and reversing The Nerd's Power Glove Punch. On May 29th, it was revealed that Zangief had been putting work refining his Final Atomic Buster finisher and that it now properly ended with a piledriver. This news excited many fans, and he was all set to test it when he and Ganondorf would take on the now-official team Safety Valve. Despite being made up of two of VGCW's best singles competitors, Gief would once again step up his game, as he and Ganondorf's superior teamwork was used to get the upper hand on Jensen and Gaben. Thanks mainly to Adam Jensen's utter disdain and lack of concern for his partner, Gerudo Skies tasted victory yet again. But then, just as Zangief and Ganondorf's dominance of the tag team division seemed a foregone affair, it would meet its end at the hands of Wario Ware Inc. at End Game 4. Worse yet, it was Zangief who ate the pin that would cause Gerudo Skies to lose their belts. Though he initially managed to hold his own decently well against Wario, he still took considerable damage and when Waluigi (who had surprisingly been taking it to Ganon very well) switched over to him, and although Zangief would keep up with The People's Champion fairly well, he would ultimately be caught by a surprise wheelbarrel pin, marking a dissapointing end to the longest Co-Op title reign in VGCW history. Season 5: The Fall of Gerudo Skies Following their surprising loss, the rumors of Ganondorf carrying the team might have finally taken their toll, and Gerudo Skies decided to amiciably split up so both men could return to singles competition. Tired of being called the weak link, Zangief fought the former VGCW Champion Solid Snake on the Season 5 Premiere. Gief started the match striking hard and often, but the master of CQC would eventually slow the pace and out maneuver Zangief, but when things looked grim, he let loose a sudden onslaught of offense, dishing out a powerful suplex and two Final Atomic Busters, securing the pin and the safety of the Russian Skies. He had finally earned his first singles victory since November. His momentum would be short-lived, as he faced Ezio in next episode and was dominated by him. Ezio would pick up the win after landing a frog splash. After the match, Ezio retrieved a chair from the ring and was ready to assassinate Zangief. Ganondorf would make the save, taking the chair and chasing Ezio out of the ring. Zangief did not get the embrace he was expecting when he got up to his feet, as Ganondorf then betrayed his former comrade and struck Gief with the chair himself in a shocking swerve. However, after Ganon defeated Red during the next show, Zangief appeared from backstage and charged at his former ally. After a short but brutal fight outside of the ring trading multiple blows, Zangief powerbombed him off the ramp.. Gerudo Skies Explode During the next show, Zangief was seen talking with his former enemy, Little Mac, who was puzzled about the sudden split between Zangief and his old comrade. Unfortunately, Mac wasn't able to get any answers, as Zangief was just as puzzled as he was. Gief vowed to find answers and proceeded to the ring, where he called out Ganondorf in public. The Dark Lord appeared shortly, only to tell him nothing about his reasons or his plans, only revealing that the loss of the Co-op title meant nothing to him. He left as quickly as he had appeared, leaving a dumbstruck Zangief gaping in the middle of the ring. Wanting revenge, Zangief would go to Gabe Newell, requesting a match with Ganondorf at End Game 5. His plead was answered, and despite the protests of Little Mac and the crowd, who were all worried about Gief's chances against the monster Ganon, he was dead set on fighting him. Over the course of several weeks, the personal feud between the behemoths grew, with both men encountering bumps. After a loss to Captain Falcon, Zangief finally got another win under his belt when he fought and defeated Dr. Eggman by way of count out after spearing him through the barricade. Gief sought to use this sudden momentum to his advantage, and after Ganons embarrassing loss against an ordinary man, cut an in-ring promo riduculing him. End Game 5: Ganondorf vs Zangief With tensions reaching their melting point, the two would finally meet in the co-main event of End Game 5. While most viewers expected a quick squash, Zangief defied all odds and absolutely demolished his former comrade, using spinebuster after spinebuster, and every weapon he could get his hands on. This blood lust would ultimately be his downfall however, as Gief ignored nearly all opportunities to get a pinfall, instead opting to cause even more damage to the bruised and bloody Ganondorf. After a rare attempt to pin was foiled by a ring escape, Ganon managed to let loose a Gerudo Valley Driver to seemingly put Gief away. However, showing true heart, Gief became the first to kick out of Ganon's dreaded finisher in weeks, before finally being put down for the 3 count. Despite the loss, Gief had shown a fury never seen before in the of the most physical fights in VGCW History, and promised to start season 6 anew. Season 6: Rebirth With a new season and new game, Zangief sought to wipe his so far embarrasing slate clean in a match against Barret Wallace. It was a close match with many near falls, but after showcasing his new Final Atomic Buster and surviving Barret's Big Shot, Gief forced his enemy to tap out after locking in a full nelson hold, making himself the first person to win a match by submission in 2k14. This momentum would carry on to the next broadcast, as after being provoked backstage by Gary Oak, Zangief would proceed to destroy the trainer in a match, forcing him to tap out to a full nelson, just like Barret Wallace, after a brutal piledriver. A lesson has been learned: one does not taunt Zangief and call him 'Giefyboy' unless they are able to soundly back up their insults. Zangief's road to redemption would meet a speedbump however, in the form of two Fatal Four Way matches held on December 10th and Christmas Eve. Despite putting up an impressive fight in both matches, he was ultimately uninvolved with the pair of decisions, with Barret pinning Red (ironically aided by the great deal of damage Zangief had inflicted to the former Casual Champ), and Segata Sanshiro, the reigning Casual Champion, escaping the steel cage during Mr. Satan's confusion. His bad luck in multi-man matches would remained unchanged as Season 6 went on, as he would fall to Donkey Kong's Banana Slamma in a Six-Man Casual Contender's match on the January 14th Show (though he would be the last 'Street Fighter' to be eliminated in said match) and then to a double chokeslam on the January 14th show in a triple threat match. Perhaps finally realizing that multi-man matches were not his forte, Zangief would return to singles matches for his final show of Season 6, and his victorious ways would return in turn, as he would dominate Luigi to gain his third singles win. While he has not yet climbed the mountaintop, the days of Zangief being a load to carry seem over. What awaited him in Season 7? Season 7: Blackened Skies Zangief would open the first show of Season 7 with an old foe: Gary Oak. Despite any lack of mocking motivation, Zangief would crush the hapless Pokemon trainer in half the time of their last match, knocking Oak out cold with a thunderous headbutt. With a fourth singles win in his hands, Zangief would return backstage only to meet an unexpected challenge: VGCW newcomer Illidan Stormrage. Many had already fallen to the Betrayer's power, and Zangief proved no exception, as he would be knocked as cold as Siberia as quickly as he'd taken care of Gary. It would later be revealed that Illidan was working with Gary Oak, and Illidan acted upon his manager's loss. While Zangief would never have a rematch with either wrestler, he would gain a measure of revenge several weeks later, when he would attack the Betrayer during the seasonal Royal Rumble and eliminate him from the match. Outside of the Rumble appearence, Zangief would be scarce during Season 7, his lone other match on the 2014-03-04 show. He would face Donkey Kong in a 2/3 Falls Match, though he would go on to lose 2-1. Despite this small pool of appearences, Zangief would close out End Game 7, as he would be one of the many wrestlers to congratulate new VGCW champion Scorpion. Season 8: The Red Cyborg Season 8, as it turned out, would TRULY hold darker things for the Red Cyclone... After a recreational match with Octodad, Mecha-Knuckles was seen menacingly approaching Zangief. Next week, the Cyclone entered the ring as a Cyborg, flattening Octodad in their rematch to the applause of The Practice. Non-Royal Rumble Record Gallery Bret Hart wins Money in the Bank.png|Zangief with the Money in the Bank briefcase before being screwed WSJpP.gif|Zangief protecting the Russian skys! Mh3erTk.jpg|Zangiefs popular "Gief 3:16" shirt, appearing to have a printing error Synchronized.gif Giefwhiff.gif Finalatomicbuster.gif|Zangief's finisher, the Final Atomic Buster Bowser_dr_eggman_zangief_wreck-it_ralph.png face turn.png|Zangief reconciling with Mac at the conclusion of the Little Mcmahon Saga NOT CANON.png|Poor Gief can only win when it doesn't count Mechagief.png|The new, Practice improved, Mecha-Zangief.